Submarine floating body



e.- DALEN.

SUBMARINE FLOATING BODY.

APFLtCATION FILED AUG. I4. 1916.

Patented Dec. 28, 1920.

The said mechanism consists of a cylinder 4 containing a piston 5, which by a bell crank lever 6 and a link 7 is connected with 1a diaphragm 8 or the like exposed, at the outerside, to the water pressure.

Opening into the cylinder 4 behind the piston is a piping 9 for a suitable pressure medium, as for instance a liquid'contained in a receptacle 10 and acted upon by the pressure of a gas adapted to be supplied from without by a pump or from a compressed gas receiver before launching the floating body, or to be supplied from a com pressed gas receiver located in the floating body. Serving as a member controlling the supply of pressure medium to the cylinder 4 is a slide valve 11 movable in a valve chest, or a three-way cockor the like controlled'by the hydrostat 2 12 denotes a piping leading from the liquid receptacle 10 to the slide valve, and 13 denotes a discharge piping adapted to discharge liquid from the cylinder 4 into the interior of the floating body or, if desired, into a separate container. The slide valve 11 is also con trolled indirectly by the piston 5, which is connected with a rod or a frame 14: forming a support for the inner'end of the spring 3. On account thereof the tension of the spring depends on the positionof the piston 5, and

a change of said position without a corresponding change of the outer water pressure wlll cause a movement of the slide valve 11 from operative to inoperative posi-' tion, in which latter the valve channel 15 Fig. 2, occupies a middle position between V the ports devised in the valve chest for the pipings 12 and 13. V The device described operates as follows, it being supposed that the floating body from the beginning is in equilibrium at a certain depth of submersion. The cylinder 4 is in part filled with liquid and keeps the diaphragm 8 in such a projecting position, that the specific weight of the floating body corresponds exactly to the specific weight of the surrounding water. The diaphragm 2 occupies a middle position and-the slide valve is in inoperative position, as in Figs.

1 and 2. If the body now be moved down-' ward by any outer force, the water pressure acting upon the diaphragm 2 increases, so that said diaphragm, on moving inward, moves the slide valve 11 to the right, thus opening a connection from the receptacle 10 through the piping 12, the channel 15 and the piping 9 to the cylinder 4. Owing thereto, the piston 5 is moved farther outward and forces the diaphragm 8. still more outward, so that the specific weight of the floating body decreases 'At the same time the piston 5 acts through the frame 14 upon the spring 3, thus increasing its tension,

and, on account thereof, the said spring tends to move the diaphragm 2 back to the cific weight takes place.

middle position and at the same time to move the slide valve to inoperative position. If the above-named movement of the floating body be effected with not too great a rapidity, the decrease of the specific weight takes place continuously in a certain ratio to the change of the depth of submersion, because the slide valve 11, owing to the cooperation of the diaphragm 2 and the piston 5, is kept in a position in which the valve channel is slightly opened, while the piston 5 tends continuously to interrupt entirely the connection between the receptacle l0 and the cylinder 4 through the said channel, whereas the hydrostat, according as the outer water pressure acting uponthe same increases, tends to open said connection. The more the floating body is moved downward by the outer force. the more its specific weight decreases and the more it opposes the movement within the given possible limits of control. In a similar manner the specific vweight increases successively during an upward movement caused by an outer force, the diaphragm being forced outward by the spring 3 owing to the decrease of the outer water pressure and at the same time moving the slide valve to the left, thus connecting thefcylinder' with the discharge piping13,through the valve channel 15. The outer water pressure acting upon the diaphragm 8 forces simultaneouslythe piston 5 backward, accordingly as the liquid dischargesthrough the valve channel 15 and the piping 13. .When moving back ward, the piston 5 decreases the tension of the springB and, owing thereto, tends to interrupt indirectly the connection between the cylinder 4 and the discharge piping, since the water pressure, on the decrease of the tension of the spring 3, is anew capable of moving the diaphra 2 and the slide valve' 11 back to their middle positions. As will appear from the aforesaid, the floating body, when in equilibrium, opposes any movement caused by an outer force in vertical direction with a force in= equilibrium, the movement being eifectively retarded by the Water resistance. At the same time a continuous change of the spe- If in this case the floatmg body, when reaching the position of equilibrium, still possesses a cer tain inertia, it proceeds beyond said position. but the change of the specific weight goes on continuously, so that the movement is counteracted also on account thereof, When the body then returns, the slide 1 i' ilimite'd to the v u necessa yf n ans:

" 7 by 1 accidenta1V;- vertica1 currents" in the water; 1d,; on. the other hand, in any, case aa cha'ngle. of the' specific weight of'the watei" surroundpositive; or negative-. buoyancy is lmparted t the. body ca sin to.;descend,=and at p w 1 "Weight of the-body 1S successively increased isamettime thevspecifie "filand decnease l respectivelyuntil. the said V i ingghody. he coio'peration'betweenthehyi by means of; sQ.-ca 1 .d. three-point regulation; the: slide-valve being; connected with: a-

rocking levenlifi, one end o fflwhic'h is cons" I 3 Qnectedj with; the hydr0stat.,whi1e"its other' 1 end: is} connec edwiththeipiston rod 17 WhQn f ea ng body descends, the-defiection of the hydrostat is;illorfeased, and on a'cno'untfthtn eof-the slidei valve ll raises, un- 7' ,40'

p I thegpiston 5' iSjmdVGd downward thusmove "ing-the' diaphragm; 8' oi1'tward; so; that: the.

' reases :Atithe;sametime 'thevpiston. 5Iop 9- i0 in'QVr' the: "@13 6 back to inoperative'. post; -ti0'11 Ifyionthe ontrany;..'the:floating;body

v ascends, the lydrostat 2.is'contratedlthnsfi v I a ti'acted, so that the contact arm 23- i's brou'ghtq "in Connection with the contact 28;; Owing'i;

i movingsthe:val -ve11downwardandeifecting connection between the cylinder &' and the I time'athe, valve: 11'; is"; operated byfgthe piston:

too'tfl i'at oi the'enabodnnentjshownzin Fig In he.embodimennofthe' messes P nemes s; reversedi' instantln, and there o 'thei'chen fl o ijfihez specific weigh w lg ths yi I- er as.- any Po itive,

g. body, Theretore any oscillation ef v r Mc ven entsoutoftheposition ofequi1ib 17111111, as sfmentioned above my: be; caused "direction-or the lothen-bytheaid of;a;.1'"ack" -"2 mt? Q fi g dy h uldatakezpla ega Y.

other-brush of the motor "is connected with T the. bogilyv toascend on weight again becomes equalito thattof."the" 'isurrolmd ng watelt, the: body hen stoppmg tionsj-Iarei. increased 'within' the total extent; oi the regulation of; submeifsioilofthe float.

d os at 2 and thelipi'stony .adaptedfto movethe-diaphragm; 8Q outward ifon adjustment? --o h i evalv c 'is zinl-this-caseeife'cted" l' conne tion V I v e fe ted between the recepr tacle 10 containing-water un denpi essure'a-nd ffgthe. cylinder A;'thli 11gb athea piping 12 fthe I 5 "val-VG. chaniiel fand the piping 'lhereby"v eifie weight ofthebody is reduced; I Owing 7 theretoa force connteractingthe movement discharge-piping13: The outenwatefpres; sure acting;-f11p'on, t;he' diaphragm, 8"moves the same jinwai'd, ace-ranges thefliiiu'id igdia I "vc-hargejd fr om tm cylindeintand atifthesame direction, the diaphra-gm 8 is-retractedg the.

'dl17f andfthe leyerr and' ow ing thereto; 11s moved t'oifinoperative-i pos tion. In: othe 'i .ri espe cts the manner. ofho'peration is similair body stops, .and owing thereto theoutwa'rd ,movement of; the hydrostatceases; "If the v ntion shew? a o i moveI'nen't-== was caused aeeldentally fon s anzevexeible-clee 7 ieseiflee nmten s? vPQQ fiQ Weight citithe floatingx. body-.' i h' fljd a-f Phmgm 8 iscennected withathlieadedxst m 18 PIZQVidQCLW-ithgl nllt 'lii ino-the form'ofs 'a worm whee1.,,W-hioh; is, prevented-from: mov e used-fen effectingithe changes of thef iingverticallyandigears.with zwormizOop "if erated immediatelyor by meansoffa gear, I

by the electric: series"mot0n2l. Q'ne pole.

fif h? bfl i ry 22-is connected with onefofq 1 th br he of the-motor, while the othen 5 P le is in. connection. with a contact ar1n23f e ap to bef ur d-by a hydrostat: 2 insfoine j P and pinion or any other suitable gear." The the center 2,4 of the field-winding While,{

mounted plate29al1d coijperating with;-;the contact-arm 23,.v Themovementof-theplate 29 is efiected'bythe mechanism serving to 7 hange the specificweightof the fioatingij body, for instance by: the plate being connected by meansof ali-nkBO' and a bell crank 9n; lever 31with the thlieadedstem 18. r 7

The manner of operationois as follow When; the floating body is, in mposition of Y w l equilibriulnsin thes-waterfthediaphragmISR i V r ism'oved outwardtlo suchlan extent, that l the specific weight of the flo'atnig body is 'quiteequal'to thatof-the surrounding waten The contact 'p1ate29 is kept in acorresponding" position; and the' contact arm 23 is retained} by the hydrostat in'an inoperativeposition 1'00 between the-two contacts 27 and 28.2 Ifthe;

body be caused to descend, the hydi'ostat-2'-, V j

is moved inward thereby tui ning the con-'1. ztact arm. 23; so that; it comesrin contact with the contact 27'. On accountthereof the mok tor 21 is started in such adii'ection, that'the diaphragm 8 is moved outward; andthe' spej 7 isneflectedtFAt the same timethe plate29; 0;" is'tur'ned by the aid-of its""connection with V the stemz'l8 soxthat the circuit' is b foken,-asf 4 V soon vas the downward rmovement of the v p floating; body, in thewvater ceasesyandbn t account thereof the inwai'd movement "of the hydrostat ends; If; on the" contrary th floating body-ascends, the hydrostat 2 is eon,

theretofthe motor is stafted in the oppositef specific weight o-f-thejb'ody-is increasedanigl consequently, the movement iscounter -actedz. 1 Atthe'same time the fplatej 29 oiszturned jin the same directionasftheconta ctI-arm 23, s o

thatfthe contact between the contact'28 fand the arrn '23 "ceases, as soon as" the floating stance by a current in the water, the float-.

ing body returns to the original position of equilibrium immediately or after a few oscillations with decreasing amplitude, as soon as the cause ceases. 'If, on the other hand, the cause was continuously acting, as for instance in case of a change of the specific weight of the surrounding water, the floating body remains in equilibrium in the new position, as was the case with the mechanically controlled floating body described above with reference to Fig. 1.

Thefloating body shown in Fig. 5 differs from that shown in Fig. 3 only in'that the pressure acting upon the liquid contained in the receptacle 10 is eflfected by means of a piston 33 actuated by a spring motor 32 instead of by a compressed gas. The spring motor 32 which may be wound up by means of a crank placed on the pin 34 is by suitable means connected with a nut in the form of a toothed whee-l, said nut be ing screwed onto the threaded rod 36jof the piston 33 thus servingto move the piston forward, according as the liquid under pressure is consumed. The construction and manner of operation of the controlling mechanism proper are similar to those of the embodiment shown in Fig. 3.

The invention is not limited to the constructional details shown in the drawings, but may be varied in many different manners. Thus for instance for the diaphragm 8 effecting the changes of the specific weight of the floating body may be substituted a piston or a receptacle connected with the outer water or any other suitable device. For the slide valve shown in Fig. 1 may be substituted a. three-way cock, and forthe same valves shown in Figs. 3 and 5 may be substituted two valves placed one above the other or a three-way cock having a pivotally mounted casing, the hydrostat actuating in the two latter cases the one member for opening the connection to or from the working piston, while the other member is actuated by the device changing the specific weight and serves to interrupt the connection. Though aliquid under pressure is very suitable as a power transmitting means in the embodiments shown in Figs. 1 and 3, owing to the facility of controlling the current of a liquid and its incompressibility, nothing prevents, however, principally the direct use, in a subfloating body according to the invention, of compressed gas as a driving medium for eiiect ing the necessary changes of the specific weight, as isthe case with some types of oscillating subfloating bodies.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

depth of submersion, comprising means for changing the specific weight of said body, a hydrostatic plate acted upon by the outer water pressure, a spring counteracting the water pressure on said plate, a controlling member assuminginoperative position in the position ofequilibrium of the floating body and adapted to be actuated by said hydrostaticplate, so as to start the means changing the specific weight, and a connection between the said latter means and the said spring for varying the tension of the latter.

2. A submarine floating body adapted to assume a position of equilibrium at a certain depth of submersion, comprising means for changing the specific weight of the body consisting of a movable member adapted to be actuated in one direction by the outer water pressure, a liquid pressure cylinder, a container for liquid under pressure, a hydrostatic device, and a member controlling the supply of liquid from said container to the cylinder and its discharge from the cylinder, said controlling member being actuated in opposite directions by the hydrostatic device and the means for changing the specific weight of the body and means for varying the normal effective force of the hydrostatic device.

3. A submarine floating'body adapted to assume equilibrium at a certain depth of submersiomcomprising a hydrostat, a motor opposing the operation of the hydrostat, resilient means between the motor and bydrostat to permit compensating movements of either, and displacement varying means operated by the motor.

4. A submarine floating body adapted to assume a certain depth of submersion, comprising a hydrostat,:r motor opposing operation of said hydrostat, resilient means between them,a valve operated by the differential movement between said motor and hydrostat and controlling a supply of motive fluid under pressure to said motor, and displacement means operated by the motor.

5. In a submarine floating body adapted to assume a position of equilibrium at a certain depth of submersion, the combination of a hydrostat, means for'varying the specific weight or" the said floating body, a connection between the said hydrostat and the said means, said connection comprising a movable member, the movements of which are controlled by the cooperation of the saidhydrostat and the specific weight varying means, and a yielding device interposed between the said hydrostat and the specific weight varying means, said yielding device cooperating to control the action of the said hydrostat.

6. In a'submarine floating body-adapted to assume a position of equilibrium at a certain depth of submersion, the combinaa part ofthe said connection tends to move g .2 1 the said'valve in the opposite direction into i5:1inoperative position. .i

'f 7.f In a submarine floating body adapted toassume a position of equilibrium at a cer: j

H tain depth of submersion.; the, combination g of} a hydrost'at, a movable diaphragm". for varyingthe specific weight of said body, a

*interrupting the said conduit,la valve opgsaid valve and said hydrostatya'pi'ston adapted'to operate in said cylinder, amem;

slidably connected. with the connection be- I I T tween the said hydrostatand the said valve, f a yielding member interposed between the saidhydrostat. and the said member and 'P I agm with the said piston, substantially as described. a

fxas'sumea position of equilibrium'ata cer- V v taindepth of submersion, 4 comprising a hy-, -'di"ostat, 'a poweractuated member, connecand connections between said movable mem hydrostat andsaid power ractuatedlmember' 1 gbe'r, isTcontrolled by the said connections;

' tain depth of submersion, --compris ing ahy.- i I L V I cylinder, a receptacle containig a fiuid under; r ;press ure, a conduit for connecting said receptaclej with said cylinder, a valve casing lerating'in said casing, a connection betweenv t V v 1' piston operated in a cyl nder, operativeconberihaving connection with said piston] being I ifmeans operatively connecting the said dia- 7 r i ative' connections between thesaid displaces {8. A submarine floating bodyadapted to" 'tions between" said member i and said hydro stat whereby thejsaid member and hydrostat v-niay' act "upon each other ,with opposing 7 power actuated member, amovable member;-

for Varying h p q ihentofsaid body;

berand the connections between th'ejsaid' whereby theposition of saidamovableme .J .9. V submarine floating body" adapted to f' assume a position of equilibrium at -a .cejrf drostat, a displacement 'varying'memberg a 55 c movable member 'operatively related t'ogthe said hydrostat, a valve member havingon nection with the said hydrostat, meansffor "f j supplying a fluid under pressure tol-actu w, .ate' said movable inember,the passage of' fluid to said movable member being goon-1f" 'trolled by the said valve and connections, I between the said displacement varyirig'ineinber and the said'mova'ble'member whereby. f the position of the former is; controlled bythe" position ofthe latter, .10, A submarine 'fioatingzbody adapted to 5 assume a position of equilibrium at;a='oertain depthof 'SllbIIlGI'SlOIl, compr sing ahydro- :j

stat,v a displacement varying. member, a

nectioiis between the said piston and 'tlie i "said hydrostat,v said connections compris ng 1 i i a for supplying/a fluid underipressure to the; cylinder to operate said piston, the;suppl y-J ing offiuid to said cylinder .beingregulated; and controlled by *the said valve andloper 'ment varying member and the said piston" wherebyfthe position of the latter controlsff the position of the said displacement vary 7 ing member.

1; lntestiinonywhereofl. have signed my; 35

f V v GUSTA'F'DALEN, LE:

vWitnesses: I N I WALDEMAR-BQMAN, FRANK Lyon. 7 

